Reel case with rotatable lock



Oct. 31, 1967 R. c. J. PALSON ET" AL 3,349,898

REEL CASE WITH ROTATABLE LOCK v INVENTORS RICHARD c. J ANTHONY GREGORY MATHUS g2 rm ORNEY Oct. 31, 1967 R. c. J. PALSON ET AL 3,349,898

REEL CASE WITH ROTATABLE LOCK Filed May 18, 1966 2 Sheets- Sheet 2 FIG. n INVENTORS :52 I5 68 RICHARD c. J. PALSON ANTHONY L. GELARDI GREGORY MATHUS ATTORNE United States Patent 3,349,898 REEL CASE WITH ROTATABLE LOCK Richard C. J. Palson, Medfield, Mass., Anthony L.

Gelardi, Cranston, R.I., and Gregory Mathus, West Hartford, Conn., assignors to Data Packaging Corp., Cambridge, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Filed May 18, 1966, Ser. No. 551,085 10 Claims. (Cl. 206-52) This invention relates to reel closures and more particularly comprises a one-piece case which forms a sealed closure for magnetic tape reels.

At the present time there are generally two types of tape reel closures on the market; namely, reel cases composed of a base and cover which lock together to form a complete container for the reels, and the so-called wraparound closures which are in the general shape of a band that extends about the reel periphery to form a seal at the periphery of the reel flanges. Each of these closure types has certain advantages, and it is the object of the present invention to combine many of the advantages of each in a new form of closure.

A more specific object of this invention is to provide a reel closure which may be mounted on and removed from a reel while the reel is supported on the chuck or spindle of the machine on which it is used.

Another important object of this invention is to provide a reel closure which may be locked and unlocked on the reel by a very simple turning operation and without overcoming the considerable friction of a gasket moving over the surface of a stationary member.

To accomplish these and other objects, the reel closure of this invention is generally in the shape of an annular plate with a peripheral skirt that together form a tray with a hole in the center. The hole in the center is approximately equal in diameter to the opening in the hub of the reel and the two are aligned when the reel is in the closure. Sealing gaskets are provided in the closure on the inner face of the annular plate and adjacent the outer edge of the skirt so that when a reel is placed in the tray the outer reel the periphery of the inner reel flange engages the gasket on the annular plate. A locking device is carried by the plate and is rotatable with respect to it, and it is designed to engage a mating locking device on the reel so that when the locking device is actuated, the reel is drawn against the gaskets to form a tight closure.

These and other objects and features of this invention along with its incident advantages, will be better understood and appreciated from the following detailed description of several embodiments thereof, selected for purposes of illustration and shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a reel and closure constructed in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view of the reel and closure shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view of one component of the closure shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a top view of the reel shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of another embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the reel and closure shown in FIG. 5;

flange engages the gasket on the skirt and FIG. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the locking mechanism on the closure of the embodiment of FIGS. 5 and 6;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of the complementary portion of the locking mechanism formed on the reel of FIGS. 5 and 6;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of the complementary portion of the locking mechanism formed on the reel of FIGS. 5 and 6;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a closure locking mechanism of another embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary perspective view of the complementary portion of the reel that receives the locking mechanism of FIG. 9; and

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the reel and closure employing the locking mechanism of FIGS. 9 and 10.

The embodiment of this invention shown in FIGS. 1-4 includes a closure 10 and a reel 12 which together define a sealed chamber 14 for tape 16 wound about the hub 18 of the reel. The reel shown is exemplary of reels used for computer tape, but it is to be understood that the principles of this invention may be embodied in other forms of reels such as are used for audio tape, film and other kinds of strip material.

The reel 12 includes a hub 18 having an inner flange 20 adapted to fit on the chuck or spindle of a machine and an outer flange 22 upon which the tape '16 is wound. The reel also includes a pair of flanges 24 and 26 secured to the hub and which with the flange 22 of the hub define the chamber 14. The hub 18 and the flanges 24 and 26 may be made of either plastic or metal, or some other material suitable for this particular purpose and may be composed of one or more parts fabricated separately and subsequently secured together to form the complete reel. A typical reel construction into which this invention may be embodied is shown in Burgess et al. Patent No. 3,229,928, issued J an. 18, 1966.

The hub 18 in the embodiment shown includes a recess 28 which is conventionally found in magnetic tape reels for receiving a lockout ring (not shown). The recess 28 is located on the rear side of the reel customarily facing the machine upon which the reel is mounted, and a second recess 30 is provided on the front face of the reel, which recess is not conventionally provided. In the reel shown, the recess or slot 30 is defined in part by the inner hub flange 20 and the inner edge 32 of the front reel flange 24, but it is to be understood that this slot may be defined by the outer hub flange 22 or by some other reel part. For example, the slot may be molded as an integral part of the hub, whether the hub be made of plastic, aluminum, a combination of these materials, or some other material or materials.

In FIG. 4 the inner edge 32 of the flange 24 is shown provided with a plurality of tabs 34 that overhang the outer margin of the slot 30 at spaced intervals about the annular slot. The tabs 34 define gaps 33 of approximately the same width between them. In FIG. 4 six such tabs are shown. As will be apparent below, these tabs 34 comprise one part of the locking mechanism for securing the closure 10 on the reel.

The closure 10 in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-3, is composed of an annular wall 40 substantially equal in diameter to the reel flanges 24 and 26, and an outer skirt 42 which is somewhat greater in axial extent than the 54 of the gasket is seated in the recess 50 while the tab portion 56 is positioned to engage the inner face of the periphery 46 of the reel flange 26 to form a seal at that location when the reel is placed within the closure. It will be, noted in FIG. 2 that the inner peripheral edge of the reel flange 26 includes a shallow step 58 that defines a seat for the tab portion 56 of the gasket. It will also be noted in the embodiment that the diameter of rear reel flange 26 is slightly greater than the diameter of front flange 24 so that when the reel is placed in the closure the front flange clears the gasket 52 while the rear flange engages it to form the seal.

A shallow well 60 is provided on the outer face of the annular wall 40 of the closure on which is mounted a bezel 62. The outer surface of the bezel 62 is preferably ribbed or otherwise provided with an irregular texture so as to enable the bezel to be turned easily by the thumbs in the well 60. The bezel 62 carries a collar 64 which is shown in detail in FIG. 3. The collar 64 forms the male portion of the locking mechanism and cooperates with a slot 30 in the reel to retain the closure in place.

The collar 64 includes a cylindrical wall 66 that fits 'into the recess 30 and an annular flange 68 which is secured to the bezel 62 and lies outside the slot 30 when the closure is mounted on the reel. A plurality of holes 70 (one shown in FIG. 2) are provided in the annular flange '68 and receive pins 72 that may be formed as an integral part of the bezel to secure the bezel and collar together.

The outer end of the pin 72 is shown to be enlarged over the shoulder in the hole 70, which may be achieved by causing the pin material to flow after the two parts have been assembled on the main annular wall 40 of the closure. It is to be understood that several such holes 70 and pins 72 are spaced about the bezel collar assembly to keep the two in the assembled relationship sandwiched over the inner edge of the wall 40.

Three ribs 74 of a circumferential length substantially equal to or slightly less than the width of the gaps 33 at the annular slot 30 are carried on the inner end of the cylindrical wall 66 of the collar 64, and one end 76 of each rib is beveled at the top. The space between the lower surface 80 of the annular flange 68 and the upper surface 82 of the ribs 74 exceeds the thickness of the tabs34 on the reel flange 24 so that the ribs 74 may be turned beneath the tabs 34 and cooperate with their lower surface 84 to hold the closure in place on the reel.

As indicated above, the bezel is rotatable on the seat 60, and rotation of the bezel causes rotation of the collar 64. Therefore, in order to secure the closure 10 on the reel 12 it is only necessary to align the ribs 74 with the gaps 33 so that the ribs may drop in the slots beneath the level of the tabs 34. Thereafter, rotation of the bezel through approximately 30 will axially align the ribs 74 with the tabs 34 in overlapped relationship, which achieves locking of the closure on the reel.

The gasket 52 defines a seal at the periphery 46 of the inner reel flange 26, and a second gasket 86 secured to the inner face 88 of the annular wall 40 defines a seal between the closure and the outer surface of the outer reel flange 24. It is apparent that if the gaskets 52 and 86 are pressed firmly against the respective parts of the reel, the chamber 14 which houses the tape is sealed completely enclosed. Therefore, no contaminants such as dust can reach the tape 16 when the closure 10 is mounted as shown.

It is evident that the collar 64 may be dimensioned so as to cause the outer flange of the reel to compress the gasket 86 and the inner flange 26 of the reel to compress the gasket 52 when the collar is turned o t t he ribs 74 lie beneath the tabs 34. That is, the parts may be so dimensioned that the locking operation of the bezel and collar draws the reel into the skirt 42 of the closure and forms effective seals at the locations of the two gaskets.

In FIG. 2 it will also be noted that the inner edge 90 of the bezel 62 and the inner surface 92 of the collar 64 are coplanar with or slightly outside the inner surface of the hub flange 20. Therefore, when the reel 12 is mounted on the chuck or spindle of a machine, the closure 10 may be mounted on the reel. That is, the closure 10 does not interfer with the mounting of the reel on a chuck or spindle. Consequently, the closure 10 permits an operator to mount the reel in place on a machine while the closure is in place on the reel, and thereafter the operator may remove the closure to expose the tape 16 to thread it through the machine. Similarly, after the operator is through with the reel, he may place the closure 10 over it, turn the bezel 62 with his thumbs so as to close the lock, and thereafter remove the tape reel in the sealed condition within the closure from the machine. Thus, the reel may be transported from the point of storage to the machine and from the machine back to the point of storage while the tape chamber is completely sealed.

The use of ribs 74 of relatively short circumferential length and providing a greater number of tabs 34 facilitates the alignment of the ribs with the gaps 33. It is evident that the ribs 74 in the embodiment shown can only be 15 out of alignment with the gaps 33 when the parts are brought together. The operator need only turn the bezel clockwise or counterclockwise at most through 15 to achieve alignment, and subsequently locking may be accomplished by turning the bezel only 30 with the ribs 74 beneath the tabs 34.

It is evident from the foregoing description that the combination reel and closure shown in FIG. 1 may be handled readily by grasping the closure at approximately opposite parts of the skirt 42 with the thumbs over the annular wall 40. By placing the thumbs on the surface of the bezel 62, the operator can conveniently spin the bezel in place to manipulate the lock.

For nesting, a seat 99 is provided at the upper edge of skirt 42, which receives the lower edge of the skirt of an identical closure placed on it. The shoulder on the inner edge of the seat holds the stack of closures in axial alignment.

The embodiment of FIGS. 5-8 differs only slightly from the embodiment of FIGS. l-4. In fact, the reel may be of exactly the same configuration. The reel 100, the hub region of which is shown in detail in FIG. 8, includes a front flange 102, rear flange 104, and locking slot 106 between the inner hub flange 108 and the inner edge of the outer flange 102. For convenience, but three tabs 110 are shown in the margin of the slot 106 but it is to be understood that any number may be employed. The closure 112 includes an annular wall 114 and a skirt 116. The locking member 118 of the closure is schematically shown in FIG. 5 to be composed of a bezel portion 120 and a collar portion 122 that fits within the slot 106. It is to be'understood that while these are shown as a unitary structure in FIG. 5 they may be made in separate parts just as in the embodiment of FIGS. 1-4.

The bezel in this embodiment, however, includes a pair of outwardly extending arms 124 that reach the periphery of the closure 112 and in fact include handle flanges 126 that overlie the outer surface of the closure skirt 116. The handles 124 formed as an integral part of the bezel are' provided to facilitate manipulation of the locking member. It will be appreciated that the longer handle will make it easier for the operator to turn the collar 122 in the slot 106 when actuation of the lock is desired. It may be somewhat more convenient for the operator to turn the bezel by means of the handles 124 than by use of the bezel configuration shown in the embodiment of FIGS. l-4 which is normally actuated by the thumbs. However, the convenience of the particular user will dietate whether handles of the type shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 are provided.

The embodiment of FIGS. 9-11 also differs slightly from the embodiment of FIGS. l-4. In this embodiment the position of the ribs on the locking collar is changed, but otherwise the locking arrangement is substantially the same. Note in FIGS. 9 and 11 that the locking mechanism 130 carried on the closure includes a bezel 132 and a collar 134 that lie on either side of the inner margin of the annular Wall 135 to sandwich that inner edge so that the collar and bezel together may rotate on it. While the two are shown to be formed as an integral part in the drawing, it is to be understood that the two may be formed separately and be secured together in place on the inner edge of the annular wall, typically in the manner of the embodiment of FIGS. 1-4.

Extending downwardly from the, lower surface of the collar 134 are three hookshaped members 136 that in clude ribs 138 and supports 140. The hook-shaped members 136 are adapted to fit into openings 142 provided in the base of annular slot 144 at the inner edge of outer reel flange 146. In FIG. 11 the slot is shown to be defined by a step 148 provided at the inner edge of the outer reel flange 146. The openings 142 may be formed by circumferential breaks or gaps in the lower surface of the steps 148. It is evident that to lock the closure 150 on the reel 152 the hook-shaped members 136 are positioned in the slots 142 and the bezel is thereafter turned in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 9 so as to place the rib portions 138 of the hook-shaped membersunder the margin of the openings 142.

It will be noted that in this embodiment gaskets 154 and 156 are provided at the inner edge of the cylindrical wall 158 and the inner surface of the annular wall 136 of the closure member 150, and these gaskets are compressed to form seals at the periphery of the inner reel flange 160 and the outer surface of the outer reel flange 146 when the lock is closed and draws the closure tightly onto the reel. That is, the closure in this arrangement serves to draw the reel into the closure within the skirt 158. Similar gaskets are also provided in the embodiments of FIGS. 5-8 for this same purpose. The upper surface of bezel 132 carries ribs 153 to facilitate turning. It should be understood that the bezel may be provided with handles 124 of the type shown in FIGS. 58 if desired.

From the foregoing description it will be appreciated that a new form of closure is provided that has many of the attributes of both the wrap-around closure and the case having a separate base and cover. It may be made of plastic material and molded in attractive colors with ornamental designs. In all of the embodiments of this invention, the reel may be mounted on and removed from the chuck or spindle of the machine while the closure is in place. The closure is in the form of a tray which receives the reel, and the locking mechanism which is rotatably mounted on the tray cooperates with the mating locking slots in the reel to draw the two close together and compress the sealing gaskets on the closure. It is to be understoodthat the gaskets may be provided on the reel as opposed to the closure and the same function may be performed.

Because numerous modifications may be made of this invention without departing from its spirit, it is not intended that the breadth of this invention be limited to the several embodiments illustrated and described. Rather, it is intended that the scope of this invention be determined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

What is claimed is: I

1. A reel and closure for magnetic tape comprising a reel having a hub and a pair of generally parallel front and rear flanges, said hu'b having a central cylindrical hub wall for receiving the spindle of a machine on which the reel is to be used,

a recess provided in the front side of the reel radially outwardly of the cylindrical hub wall, a closure for the reel having a cylindrical wall of a width at least substantially equal to the width of the 5 reel measured at the periphery of the flanges,

sealing means engaging one edge of the cylindrical wall and the periphery of the rear flange of the reel to seal the two together when the closure is on the reel, an annular wall as part of the closure secured at its periphery to the other edge of the cylindrical wall, sealing means engaging the annular wall of the closure and the front flange of the reel to seal the two together when the closure is on the reel, and locking means carried by and movable with respect to the annular wall and cooperating with the recess for, releasably locking the closure on the reel with the sealing means operative so that the closure forms a seal about the reel.

2. A reel and closure as defined in claim 1 further 20 characterized by said locking means including a collar rotatably mounted on the inner edge of the annular wall,

gripping means carried by the collar,

and means provided in the margin of the recess and adapted to be engaged and released by the gripping means when the collar is in its locking and releasing positions.

3. A reel and closure as defined in claim 2 further characterized by said gripping means including a plu- 30 rality of wings that extend radially outward on the collar,

and the last named means including a plurality of additional wings secured to the outer margin of the recess and extending radially inward therefrom and when circumferentally aligned with the first recited wings holding the closure on the reel.

4. A reel and closure as defined in claim 2 further characterized by said gripping means including a plurality of hook-like members carried by the collar and extending in the direction of the rear flange,

said last named means including a plurality of slots in the bottom of the recess and engaged by the hooklike members when the collar is in the locked position.

5. A reel and closure as defined in claim 2 further characterized by the inner diameter of the collar being at least as large as the inner diameter of the cylindrical hub wall.

6. A reel and closure for magnetic tape comprising a reel having a hub and'a pair of generally parallel front and rear flanges, said hub having a central cylindrical hub wall for receiving the spindle on a machine on which the reel is to be used,

a closure for the reel having a cylindrical wall of a width at least substantially equal the width of the reel measured at the periphery of the flanges,

sealing means engaging one edge of the cylidrical wall and the periphery of the rear flange of the reel to seal the two together when the closure is on the reel,

an annular wall as part of the closure secured at its periphery to the other edge of the cylindrical wall,

sealing means engaging the annular wall of the closure and the front flange of the reel to seal the two together when the closure is on the reel,

and locking means movably mounted on the annular Wall and releasably engaging the hub causing the closure to form a seal about the reel when the locking means is moved on the annular wall.

7. A reel and closure as defined in claim 6 further characterized by 70 said locking means including a collar rotatably mounted on the annular wall and being movable rotatably between locked and unlocked conditions, said reel and wall remaining in the same circumferential relation when the collar is rotated to lock and unlock the closure from the reel.

8. A reel and closure as defined in claim 7 further characterized by a bezel connected to the collar and disposed on the outer face of the annular Wall for rotating the collar on that wall. 9. A reel and closure as defined in claim 8 further charracterized by handle means connected to the bezel and extending to the periphery of the closure for facilitating rotation of the bezel and collar on the closure. 10. A reel and closure as defined in claim 6 further characterized by each of the sealing means being mounted on the closure.

8 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,271,943 2/1942 Klein et a1. 22O4O 3,231,023 1 l/ 1966 Elterman 206-52 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,362,246 4/ 1964 France.

THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

W. T. DIXSON, JR., Assistant Examiner. 

1. A REEL AND CLOSURE FOR MAGNETIC TAPE COMPRISING A REEL HAVING A HUB AND A PAIR OF GENERALLY PARALLEL FRONT AND REAR FLANGES, SAID HUB HAVING A CENTRAL CYLINDRICAL HUB WALL FOR RECEIVING THE SPINDLE OF A MACHINE ON WHICH THE REEL IS TO BE USED. A RECESS PROVIDED IN THE FRONT SIDE OF THE REEL RADIALLY OUTWARDLY OF THE CYLINDRICAL HUB WALL, A CLOSURE FOR THE REEL HAVING A CYLINDRICAL WALL OF A WIDTH AT LEAST SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THE WIDTH OF THE REEL MEASURED AT THE PERIPHERY OF THE FLANGES, SEALING MEANS ENGAGING ONE EDGE OF THE CYLINDRICAL WALL AND THE PERIPHERY OF THE REAR FLANGE OF THE REEL TO SEAL THE TWO TOGETHER WHEN THE CLOSURE IS ON THE REEL, AN ANNULAR WALL AS PART OF THE CLOSURE SECURED AT ITS PERIPHERY OF THE OTHER EDGE OF THE CYLINDRICAL WALL, SEALING MEANS ENGAGING THE ANNULAR WALL OF THE CLOSURE AND THE FRONT FLANGE OF THE REEL TO SEAL THE TWO TOGETHER WHEN THE CLOSURE IS ON THE REEL, AND LOCKING MEANS CARRIED BY AND MVABLE WITH RESPECT TO THE ANNULAR WALL AND COOPERATING WITH THE RECESS FOR RELEASABLY LOCKING THE CLOSURE ON THE REEL WITH THE SEALING MEANS OPERATIVE SO THAT THE CLOSURE FORMS A SEAL ABOUT THE REEL. 